We plan to investigate chemical reactions involved in the degradation of lysine by Fusobacterium nucleatum and of delta-aminovalerate by Clostridium aminovalericum. In studying the pathway of lysine degradation we shall determine the presence or absence of enzymes known to participate in lysine degradation by clostridia including 3-keto-5-aminohexanoate cleavage enzyme and 3-aminobutyryl-CoA deaminase. Depending on the results of these assays, we shall proceed with a study of other enzymes that may participate in lysine degradation. In studying the pathway of delta-aminovalerate degradation we expect to investigate the enzyme systems involved in the reduction of glutarate semialdehyde, which appears to be the initial product of delta-aminovalerate metabolism, and the enzymatic steps in the conversion of delta-hydroxyvalerate to beta-ketopentanoate or its CoA thiolester which is presumably an intermediate in the formation of acetate and propionate by beta-oxidation. Enzymatic steps involved in the reduction of alpha-hydroxyvalerate to valerate will also be determined.